We all show we care in different ways.

It is so very hard to sit or stand by and watch a friend in pain.
To go about our daily lives and know,
there is nothing we can do to ease their pain.
Nothing we can do to change what is happening.
No way of knowing how long their pain will last.

As most of you know my friends young boy is sick in hospital.
We her friends are supporting her as much as possible.
But most of the time we are of no help whatsoever.
We speak with my friend and do our best to show support,
but generally feel we are pretty helpless.
We want to be “doing”.

Earlier this month this is how my young daughter felt.
She could not cope with watching us each day,
as we worried and for a time cried about our young friend.
She needed to do something.
As her mother I could not imagine what she could do?
How could she help, as I couldn’t do much myself, and I’m an adult.

But she was not to be put off.
So she decided to join the local car boot sale.
This is not something we as a family have ever done.
She contacted our friends and asked for goods to sell.
She was no pushover,
informing them that if they gave rubbish she would return it!
In total she took part in two sales and raised over €400
This she decided was to go to the nurses who came to our young friends house.
These nurses gave him chemo without him having to leave home.
Many days he remained asleep in bed, undisturbed, as the drugs were administered.

Not only my daughter felt she had to be “doing”.
An amazing woman who is great friends with this family set to work.
In no time at all she and her husband cooked up a two day golf competition.
They put in enormous effort,
during a time when life for our young friend was touch and go.
It was not easy to remain focused, but they did.
The event took place Friday and Saturday.
What a success!

Ireland in the Summer can be wet and windy,
so we were not overly hopeful for a fine day in November.
However against the odds we had not one but two magnificent days.
Warm and sunny.
Showing the beautiful scenery of this lovely area in West Cork at it’s very best.

During the weekend there was much talk about this wonderful young boy,
and what he and his family are enduring.
The air was thick with positive thoughts.
It was wonderful to know so many were gathered together willing him better.

As I have posted previously,
This family have been living in a “Ronald McDonald” house in the hospital for months.
The golf event was to raise money for those houses,
to in some small way pay them back for all they have done for our friends and others.

We are not all in a position to put the time into organizing such events,
but the next best thing is to support them.
People came out in their droves to do just that.
The golfers signed up quickly.
Many who could not attend sent donations.
So many wanted to “do” something.

Happily the event was an amazing success.
The tally was totaled and many thousands were raised.
When I heard the total last night I felt so emotional.
To think of so many people willing to help my friend.
So many people wishing this young boy well.

Sometimes it is not always possible to just say we care,
we need to show it.
Thank goodness for this wonderful couple who worked so hard on this event,
which allowed the rest of us to show we care by supporting it.

If wishes, prayers and good thoughts could cure, this young boy would be home tonight.

Amazing. We need people like your daughter all over the world! Many of the families who have children in the hospital in my area stay at our local Ronald McDonald house. They say over and over what a blessing it is. So from all of them and myself, we thank her immensely.

I am so impressed with your daughter. She obviously knows compassion and has an attitude of “do”. And you and your friends who have been supporting them from afar….it’s what we all need from our communities. What remarkable people.

Your daughter is amazing – what a beautiful, thoughtful and courageous thing to do. So many, including adults, would want to do something, but would be too doubtful about their abilities, or to put themselves out in a way that might feel vulnerable. That she just stepped up and did this is a testament to her skills and confidence, and to you as a family, that she feels supported and has the compassion to do this. Makes me happy to read this!

Unfair deadlines also create chaotic situations through the implementation phase. Often writers forget that while not everything that they write needs to be “fun,” they must be for the most part enjoyable.